1/15/2009 @ 4:00PM

In Depth: Eight Increasingly Affordable Home Remodels

Copper

Copper has taken a significant hit over the last year. The two most common housing materials you’ll find copper in–which might be in need of remodeling–are wiring and plumbing. Still, when you tear out a wall to fix the wiring or rip up the floors to install new piping, most of the cost is on things other than the wires and the pipes–so careful decision-making should go into a renovation, beyond just copper prices. Copper currently costs $1.42 per pound, an 11% decline from last year.